Washing-machine impeller



Jan. 28, 1930. a. L. MARKLEY WASHING MACHINE IMPELLER Filed March 22,1927 an aim ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 28,. 1 930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE L. MARKLEY,OF GULVEE CITY, CALIFORNIA.

WASHING-MACHINE IMPELLEB,

Application filed March 22, 1927. Serial No. 177,310.

This invention relates to a washing machine, especially adapted fortextiles, fabrics and like articles, although useful for other,

blades operating upon the fluid to cause currents therein which havecomponents of movement outwardly and peripherally. Broadly,

such washers are well known, as it is common 'to provide an uprightshaft within the con tainer and an agitator with blades. A channel forthe articles to be washed is thereby provided 'between the shaft and thewall of the container. However, the currents produced by such agitatorstend to move thearticles-toward and maintain them in position. at theshaft, thereby causing them to become entangled about the shaft and witheach other, subjecting them to possible injury and damage and militatingagainst etficient speedy washing.

The primary object of this invention is toprovide a washing machinehaving an impeller arranged to create currents which lave the articlesand tend to maintain them at a distance from the shaft. 'Another objectof this invention is to provide an impeller wliich will entrain air inthe liquid, whip the same and thereby distribute the soap or likematerials thorou hly throughout the liquid, and in the case of soapquickly form suds. A still further object of this invention is toprovide a combination of an impeller and a hood to aid in producing sudsand also to serve as a protector for delicate fabrics and textiles whichit may be desired to wash.

These objects together with other objects and correspondingaccomplishments are .obtained by means of the embodiment of my inventionillustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is an elevationof portions of the machine essential to the present invention,

with a part of the container broken up to.

better illustrate the impeller construction;

Fig. 2 is a plan view; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one form of myimpeller detached from the. agitator; and Fig. 4 is a hood for theimpeller.

I have shown herein my invention embodied in an attachment which may bemounted upon a standard type of agitator. It will be understood however,that the invention is in no manner limited to the specific constructionshown. The specific details of the structureshown herein are forillustrative purposes only. Variations of the structure will be apparentto those skilled in the art as the description proceeds.

In Fig. 1, a container 10 is shown which may be of the cylindrical tubtype. Upstand- 'ing through the center thereof is a shaft 11 upon whichis mounted an. agitator 12. In the particular construction shown, thisagi-' tator comprises a disk like bottom plate with a stream lineanticline toward the center and having radially extending wings 13 onone side. 'The shaft is preferably ioscill'ated by motor mechanism notshown, water bein placed within the container to about the leveindicated by the dotted line. The water or washing liquid is projectedradially outward by the wings 13, impinging upon the peripheral wall ofthe container and then spread 89 ing, most of it upwardly, back towardthe shaft and 'then downwardly. This would tend to carry fabrics and thelike articles upwardly and against the shaft. Various types of agitatorsare made, some having 35 the disk portion above .the wings. However,

my invention is in no manner limited to any particular agitatorconstruction or even use therewlth.

Mounted overthe shaft 11 is my improved impeller comprising a tubularportion 14 which snugly fits over the shaft and is pro vided with blades15 of triangular form. In

the present instance, the lower edges of the blades are provided withchannels as indicated by 16 for the purpose of straddling the agitatorwings and seating thereon. This. particular structure aids in holdingthe impeller in position upon the shaft. In, the blades 15 areperforations 17, preferably distributed over the face thereof. The sizeand location of the perforations may be arranged as it is foundexpedient. An impeller so constructed forms a detachable unit. 5 With myimproved impeller mounted on the agitator, the operation is as follows:

Oscillation. or rotation of the shaft will cause currents of water orliquid to be started outwardly. However, due to the variation in radialextent of the blade from top to bottom, the current flow will begreatest at the bottom of the container and least at the top there beinga gradual increase in current strength from top to bottom of the blades.This causes a vortex action, the liquid moving outwardly at the bottom,then toward the top and inwardly toward the shaft and then down to thebottom plate being directed by its stream line surface outwardly. Thetendency to move the article toward the shaft will be well distributedover the outer edge of the impeller. There is also a current downwardlyadjacent the shaft which tends to move the articles downwardly, and, ifthey are in con- 25 tact with the edges of the blades, they will bemoved outwardly due to the inclination of the outer edges. The holes' inthe blades will tend to whip the liquid and thoroughly stir the same.The agitation of the water is such 3 that close to the impeller bladesbubbles are formed which pass downwardly from the up per surface, airbeing entrained and aiding in the washing action. To further aid inpreventing articles from wrapping about the impeller, rollers 18 arejournalled at the edges of the impellers thereby providing anti-frictionmeans for contacting with the articles being washed.

In Fig. 4, a hood 19 is shown which may he slipped over the impeller,encompassing the same. This hood is formed by a shell and hasperforations 20 through which the liquid may pass. Rollers 21 arejournalled on the shell and are placed to provide means for the articlesto roll over without friction. The construction is such that the hoodmay be placed over the impeller, and any fabrics or garments within thechannel between the'impeller and the wall of the container will be protected from contact with the blades.

urthermore, there is a somewhat violent agitation of the liquid at theblades and within the hood. Soap or washing fluid which may be added arethoroughly mixed and agitated, especially within the hood. In the caseof soap, suds are quickly formed.

It will be obviousthat the impeller may be constructed as a unit to forma combined agitator and impeller or a single impeller. The impeller asan attachment may be built for mounting upon various standard types ofagitators, and its mechanical construction will be varied accordingly.

What I claim is:

'1. In a washer, a container, an operating shaft extending therein,impeller blades secured to said shaft extending outwardly therefrom andending short of the peripheral wall of said container so as to provide achannel for the articles to be Washed, said blades having perforationsextending therethrough, and a shell having perforations detachablymounted over said impeller blades. I

2. In a washing machine, a container, an upright operatingshaft therein,an agitator having radially extending wings, and an impeller includingperforate blades arranged to be mounted over said shaft and seated onsaid wings.

3. In a washer, a container, an upright operating shaft therein,anagitator having radially extending wings, an impeller includingperforate bladesarranged to be mounted over said shaft and seated onsaid wings, said blades being of triangular form With the bases thereofarranged to straddle said agitator blades.

4. In a washer, a container, an upright operating shafttherein,yimpeller blades secured to said shaft, and a perforate shelldetachably disposed over, housing and secured to said blades so as to berotatable by the latter.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 16th day of March, 1927.

GEORGE L. MARKLEY.

